Guide To Effective OCD Treatment Options

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is the main form of psychotherapy used for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a specific subset of cognitive behavioral therapy. Not all CBT therapists are trained in exposure and response prevention, so when individuals seek treatment for OCD, they need to find someone who is. Throughout ERP therapy, patients will slowly be exposed to what triggers their obsessions. They will then be asked to avoid performing the compulsions that typically ease distress and anxiety. A good ERP therapist will move at their patient's pace. They should never be forced or coerced into doing something they don't want to do. To create a treatment plan, patients will need to describe the obsessions and compulsions they face. The patient and their therapist will write them down and arrange them in a list from least to most frightening. As patients start treatment, their therapist will ask them to face one of the fears on their list, starting with the easiest and working their way up.

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